How To Sell Research

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How To Sell Research

• Nick Stewart, Science Press Manager
• Cancer Research UK
• Tuesday 16 January, 2007

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Todays newspaper is tomorrows fish chip paper
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Have a clear vision
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Know Your Audience
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Identify researchers who enjoy being in the
spotlight
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Real people bring research to life
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Arrange media training
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Dont be a media snob!
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A two-way relationship will be a productive and
sustainable relationship
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Effective evaluation is vital
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If the reported story is not quite right, dont
beat yourself (or your staff!) up too much
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.and dont complain to journalists too often
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Example Homologous recombination

• RAD51C Is Required for Holliday Junction
  Processing in Mammalian Cells
• Science Vol. 303 (243-246)

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The solution

• SCIENTISTS GRASP DNA REPAIR SCISSORS
• CANCER RESEARCH UK scientists have discovered a
  key protein that cells use to repair their DNA
  and protect us from cancer.

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Example Breast cancer in older women

• Q. How do we get a story about older women into
  the papers?

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The raw data

• Survey
• 70 per cent of all women think they are more
  likely to get breast cancer under the age of 70
  rather than over 70.

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The solution
Give the papers an excuse to run a picture
depicting youth, fame and glamour
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'Kylie effect' can confuse women over breast
cancer risk

• The vast majority of women of all ages mistakenly
  think breast cancer is more likely to strike the
  under 70s than older women.
• A survey of 2289 women, commissioned by Cancer
  Research UK, has found that 77 per cent of those
  questioned thought a womans risk of breast
  cancer is higher if she is below the age of 70.
• Dr Lesley Walker said "The survey illustrates
  another aspect of what has come to be known as
  'the Kylie effect'. Celebrities with breast
  cancer like Kylie Minogue and Caron Keating have
  attracted a lot of publicity especially in
  magazines aimed at younger women.
• "This is very beneficial in that it raises
  awareness of breast cancer. But the down side is
  that it may also set up a chain of panic among
  young women while misleading older women to think
  that ageing is not a relevant factor in breast
  cancer.

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Coverage

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Thank you for listening
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Any questions?